Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Monday, April 29, 2013

In Class Essay

In Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, the main character, Pip, goes through dynamic changes throughout the novel. When, Pip arrives in London to become a gentleman, his moral and psychological traits develop through his cultural and physical surroundings.

While, Pip stays in London to become a gentleman, the culture of Victorian England sucks him in, only to change his life. Dickens uses formal diction when describing the culture in Victorian England which helps contribute to the change in Pip's moral traits. Mr. Jaggers as well as Victorian England corrupts Pip and makes him develop some cynical, moral traits. On the other hand, back home Joe provides Pip with a good influence because of his non-sadistic, moral traits. Overall, the culture from Pip's childhood and Victorian England coincide in helping develop Pip as a character.

Pip's physical surroundings are the main factor in developing his moral and psychological traits because of characters like Magwitch, Estella, Joe, Mr. Jaggers, and Ms. Havisham. The characterization of the previously listed characters help the author develop good and bad influences for Pip which help contribute to the development of his moral and psychological traits. Estella is a bad influence for Pip because she is a tease to him and his journey to become a gentleman is mainly to impress Estella and himself so he could prove that he is worthy enough for her. Joe is probably the only positive influence that Pip experiences in his life because he is the only one who truly cares for Pip and wants the best for him. Overall, Pip's physical surroundings greatly contribute to his psychological and moral traits.

When, Pip arrives in London to become a gentleman, his moral and psychological traits develop through his cultural and physical surroundings. The culture of Victorian England and his childhood are the main contributors to his moral traits. Pip's physical surroundings are the main factor in developing his moral and psychological traits because the characters in the novel play a huge role in Pip's decisions throughout the novel. Overall, the author's diction and characterization greatly contribute to the development of Pip's psychological and moral traits.

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Poetry Essay #1

There are 2
distinct and very different view of Helen of Troy in these 2 poems. Poe reveres
Helen and compliments her on her timeless beauty and gracefulness while H.D.
expresses the hate she has received from the citizens of Greece for her
betrayal to them. The speakers’ view of Helen can be contrasted through their
use of tone, imagery, and diction.

The tone in Poe’s poem is elation
and gratification towards Helen of Troy, however, H.D.’s tone throughout his
poem is melancholy and gloomy. “Thy hyacinth hair, thy classic face, thy naiad
airs have brought me home to the glory that was Greece, and the grandeur that
was Rome.” This excerpt from Poe’s poem supports my claim of Poe’s fondness of
Helen. “All Greece hates the still eyes in the white face, the lustre as of
olives where she stands, and the white hands.” This excerpt from H.D’s poem
supports my claim of his dark and gloomy tone when referencing Helen.

The imagery in the poems is
flabbergasting because of the speakers’ abilities to describe their feelings of
Helen of Troy. “Helen, thy beauty is to me like those nicean barks of yore that
gently, o’er a perfumed sea, the weary, way-worn wanderer bore to his own
native shore.” This excerpt from Poe’s poem represents his stunning, positive
imagery of Helen of Troy. “Greece sees unmoved God’s daughter, born of love,
the beauty of cool feet and slenderest knees, could love indeed the maid, only
if she were laid, white ash amid funeral cypresses.” This excerpt from H.D.’s
poem represents his magical, negative view of Helen of Troy.

The diction that the speakers’ uses
are not completely different but it is noticeable to capture their differences.
“Lo, in yon brilliant window-niche how statue-like I see thee stand, the agate
lamp within thy hand.” This excerpt from Poe’s poem shows that he used old
English when describing Helen. “All Greece reviles the wan face when she
smiles, hating it deeper still when it grows wan and white, remembering past
enchantments and past ills.” This excerpt from H.D.’s poem shows that he used a
more formal and up-to-date use of the English language.

The speakers’ view of Helen can be
contrasted through their use of tone, imagery, and diction. Poe’s tone and H.D.’s
tone of Helen of Troy differ greatly because Poe has a more reverence to Helen
when mentioning her in the poem, while H.D.’s tone is more melancholy when
speaking of her. The imagery in both poems is breathtaking; however, they are
significantly different because Poe has a more positive description when
describing Helen than H.D. The diction in Poe’s poem of Helen uses old English,
while H.D.’s poem uses more modern English. Overall, the main difference is
that Poe has a positive view of Helen while H.D. has a more negative view of
her.

No matter the obstacles that the person faces in his life, he will always rise.

Antecedent
Scenario

I think before the poem was written the narrator was made fun of and hated by others.

Structural Parts

The poem is split into two parts. The first half of the poem is very dark because of the narrator lists how he has been hated by everyone. The second half of the poem starts with the beginning of the last stanza which shifts the tone to a more joyous and triumphant one.

Climax

The climax starts in the beginning of the last stanza which shifts the dark and gloomy tone to a more joyous and triumphant one.

Other Parts

Like I listed above in the structural parts section this poem is split into two parts.

Skeleton

The poem refers to the narrator's life as a slave and the poem's tone doesn't shift into a positive direction until the last stanza.

Content Genre-
games

The poem is an autobiography/hero poem.

Tone

The tone in the beginning is dark and gloomy but shifts in the last stanza to a joyous and triumphant tone.

Agency

The main agent in the poem is "I Rise."

Roads Not Taken

The poem's message is so inspirational that I believe any other road taken would have been idiotic. The poem is perfect and can be related to anyone's life.

Speech Acts

First the narrator listed how he was tortured and hated by everyone, and then he rose. Eventually he triumphed by rising yet again.

Outer and Inner Structural
Forms

The major speech shift is in the last stanza.

Imagination

The imagination runs free throughout the poem by emotionally touching the reader. The author succeeds in inspiring the reader with his harsh life but never-ending will.

Still I Rise

You may write me down in historyWith your bitter, twisted lies,You may trod me in the very dirtBut still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?Why are you beset with gloom?'Cause I walk like I've got oil wellsPumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,With the certainty of tides,Just like hopes springing high,Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?Bowed head and lowered eyes?Shoulders falling down like teardrops.Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?Don't you take it awful hard'Cause I laugh like I've got gold minesDiggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,You may cut me with your eyes,You may kill me with your hatefulness,But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?Does it come as a surpriseThat I dance like I've got diamondsAt the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shameI riseUp from a past that's rooted in painI riseI'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.Leaving behind nights of terror and fearI riseInto a daybreak that's wondrously clearI riseBringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,I am the dream and the hope of the slave.I riseI riseI rise.